"Hope is my catalyst."

English Translation of LyricsThey’re the food, and we’re the hunters!
No one remembers the names of the trampled flowers
Fallen birds await the next wind before they try again
Prayers won’t save us
Only the will to fight can change our world

Ignore those pigs who ridicule you for having the will to step over dead bodies and move on
Our complacence as livestock strengthens their false reality
We’re as free as starving wolves!

Channel the humiliation of imprisonment into your fists and fight the oppression
Far beyond the confining walls, you’ll slay your prey!
As your body burns with an overflowing urge, pick up your burning bow and gash through the twilight!
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Truly High in Quality
Gosh, I just love how cool and epic the above anime opening is. The music greatly reflects how intense Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) is on so many levels.

For this current anime season, Attack on Titan is my favorite show to watch, bar none. I look forward to each new episode with bated breath. Call me hooked, captivated and so intrigued by the story that I do not even want to read the manga (just yet) and am wary of browsing the internet for potential spoilers.

The plot is quite unique.

Basically, picture a messed-up world where terrifying giants have long hunted humans for many years. These “titans” devoured so much of mankind’s population, that the last bit of the human population had to construct really large walls (50 meters high = 164.041995 feet) to keep the menacing monsters at bay.

Think about this for a second. Mankind is confined to one area that probably only covers the distance of one American state. And this is all because the titans are literally all roaming outside, just eagerly waiting to snack on some humans.

But for a century, humans have lived in peace of the titans because of the protective walls. The humans have felt safe and secure, to the point where they were complacent.

Of course, what happens when these sacred walls are ever breached? A really big problem. That’s for sure. As you can guess, this becomes the driving force behind Attack on Titan’s plot when the titans begin to invade mankind’s remaining territory. All of a sudden, humanity’s haven becomes its own cage.

Survival of the fittest. Only those who fight can live.

Gruesome GoodnessI have to throw this tidbit out there before I continue further: I normally do not like gore or really bloody violence. I consider myself rather squeamish at this kind of stuff, honestly. Heck, I do not even like horror movies at all.

And yet, here I am trying to recommend Attack on Titan, an anime chocked full of blood, violent deaths, body parts flying and other terrifying and not-for-the-faint-of-heart depictions and scenes.

After watching this anime, I truly understand why people cannot take their eyes off of things like car wrecks.

IT IS THAT GOOD!

This anime does not pull any punches with portraying these titans either.

THE TITANS ARE SCARY!

If you were to hear the ground shake and then one of these creatures peered through your window, your heart would skip a beat and then some.

Not to mention, I think something that is really freaky about these titans is the expressions they make.

Look at that! That’s the grin of a sadistic killer! The little touches like this just add toward an already-frightening awe of the titan threat. You begin to feel bad for the humans in this show, especially when the titans look like they ENJOY what they are doing for extra morsels of fear on the side.

You learn to respect and acknowledge the monstrous might of these titans.

Fight! Fight! Fight!Of course, it is not like mankind is going to lie back and accept their fate as the titans’ next meal.

An important aspect of the anime is the portrayal of humanity’s willpower to strike back at their titan foes. Sure, it looks grim. The odds are against them. The titans wiped out most of humanity already, after all.

But yet the humans refuse to give up. They choose to struggle as their predators loom over them.

It is truly inspiring in its own right to see the humans battle against the titans. Plus, I am a sucker for cool weapons and gadgets, which the humans do utilize in their war against their giant opponents.

Above the RestSo with every anime-loving bone in my body, I wholeheartedly recommend that you check out Attack on Titan.

Amazing animation.

Spectacular story.

Mysterious.

Stylish.

Powerful and engrossing themes.

Thought-provoking symbolism.

The list goes on and on, but simply put – this anime is something special.

I know I am gushing over this anime a lot, but this is show is a must-see for anime fan and casual viewer alike. I have suggested this anime to many of my friends. It is one of those shows you love to talk about for hours on end with others.

I will say, however, that this anime is definitely not viewer friendly to those who cannot tolerate a lot of intense violence. If you cannot stand the sight of blood, extremely graphic images and disturbing scenes for that matter, Attack on Titan may be too much for someone who cannot stomach this kind of content.

Heck, like I said, this type of show does not bode well with me normally, and yet here I am strongly urging others to watch it.

See for yourself why Attack on Titan towers over every other anime this season (though there are some shows that are respectively great as well).
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Nhan-Fiction Note: This ending song is wonderful and captures some other touching themes of the story.

English Translation of Lyrics
Your dream is where your heart seeks comfort
It is more fragile than your life
You can abandon it, and yet always find it again
Now, sleep in peace

My pulsing rage defiles the wishes I harbor
Before I forget them only to remember once more

In this beautiful and cruel world
We keep on asking ourselves why it was we who survived
What will we protect with our strength and our weakness if reason and logic hold true no longer?

“Of course, what happens when these sacred walls are ever breached? A really big problem.”

Ha. I get it.

Yeah, that opening is something else. I know a lot of people throw the word “epic” around a lot these days, but this is one of those instances where “epic” is actually a proper way to describe the opening. Well, I’d personally choose “metal”, but let’s not argue over semantics.

I should probably give the series a look soon. I’ve been watching the Devil Survivor 2 anime, but in the interstice between episodes I could stand to check out one or two other shows. By the sound of things, I won’t go wrong with this one.